While she waited for them, Rain thought about Rona; the friendship they once had, and how it evolved to hatred.
It wasn’t all that now that I’m thinking about it. She was always more Analisa’s friend.
All the hate started the day that Rona introduced Rain to her brother, Ronnie and sparks flew immediately between them. It didn’t take long before the two of them were in each other’s face talking that talk. Each one t
empting and taunting the other and before the night was through, Rain had disappeared with Ronnie and she was on her back with her two feet in the air.
It didn’t happen all at once; it wasn’t like Rain met Ronnie and Rona started hating.
It wasn’t like that at all.
First off, it took a little while for Rona to find out. Both Rain and Ronnie being very private people who didn’t like people in their business, felt like it was nobody’s business that they were fucking. That naturally included Rona.
“That especially means Rona’s nosey ass don’t need to know,” Ronnie used to say. But she knew them both well enough, had spent enough time around the two of them to not notice that there was something going on between them.
When the office door opened; Jackie, Carter and Baby Chris walked in.
“Tell me everything you know about Rona King and her operation, Jackie,” Rain said before the door closed. It stopped her in her tracks.
“I already did,” Jackie said. “Not much.”
“Well tell me what little you do know,” Rain said through gritted teeth.
For the next hour, Jackie told Rain everything that she knew about the organization that AD was running. When Rain demanded details, that was where Baby Chris came in. He was Jackie’s eyes and ears.
As for Carter, he pretty much just sat there and listened as Rain fired off question after question and demanded answers. Jackie had told him what Black said about her being patient, so he wondered if she planned on defying Black’s orders and going after Rona. If Rain did choose that course of action, he would have a dilemma of his own on his hands.
What am I gonna do?
Like everybody else, Carter knew it wasn’t a question of if she was going to kill Rona, it was when she was going to kill Rona. When she did, what was he going to do about it?
The day that Rain made him her consigliere and they both talked about their tempers, he knew then and there that his job was to not let the young boss of The Family get too far out there.
And defying Black’s orders is definitely too far out there.
But how do you reign in Rain Robinson?
“What do you want us to do?” Carter asked.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?” Jackie leaned forward and asked.
“Nothing. Black told me to be patient and that is exactly what we’re going to do.”
Carter breathed a little easier and Jackie looked disappointed because like Carter, she was sure that Rain was going to go after Rona.
Jackie had already faced her dilemma and had made a choice to back whatever play Rain made.
And hope that Black doesn’t kill us both.
“What about a spot called Bones? They still run that place?” Rain asked.
It was one of the places that she and Ronnie used to hang out at back in the days when he was trying to impress her. Those days, neither knew what business the other was into and that it was the same business. That didn’t come until later and when it did, it quickly became volatile and dangerous.
“Yeah, her family still runs that joint. I’ve been there a few times. The ribs are swingin’,” Baby Chris said enthusiastically.
“They always were,” Rain smiled.